Author Archives: Emily Adamson

• Top-scoring merit for Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour’s first apprentice as new trainee is appointed

  The first apprentice at Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour has passed his final assessment with a top-scoring merit, while a second apprentice has been appointed to follow in his footsteps.

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  Oli Rickard, who won the ViewHR Award for Apprentice of the Year in the 2024 New Forest Brilliance in Business Awards, has now completed his apprenticeship in less than two years.

  His assessor described Oli as an: “Impressive student with a deep knowledge and the skills necessary to operate at a high standard that was demonstrated at all times.”

  He added: “He clearly loved his work and it shone through. He has clearly been trained very well by his peers and training provider.”

  Oli, aged 24, helped as a river hand before becoming the first apprentice on the Beaulieu River. He has become a popular face with customers while working towards his Level 2 Marina & Boatyard Operative qualification – and has lifted over 200 boats of all sizes, while also handling mast, engine and emergency lifts.

  

  Harbour Master Wendy Stowe said: “The independent assessor from British Marine told me we should be really proud of Oli. We are so pleased that he passed with flying colours.”

  Second apprentice George Dunsdon is now working towards the same qualification. The 21-year-old from Lymington also started work at the marina as a seasonal river hand.

  George is already working quickly through his training tasks, to deliver a wide range of services including lifting, launching, pressure-washing vessels and moving boats on the water. He is studying safety rules and regulations, while undertaking marina maintenance tasks and developing skills to assist boat owners and visitors.

  

  Both apprentices are an asset to the team, as work is being completed on the £2m redevelopment of the yacht harbour boatshed. New waterfront offices, with panoramic views across the river, and workshops will open in time for the summer season, offering opportunities for marine-based businesses to relocate to one of the most desirable marinas on the south coast.

  Notes of interest are being taken for the new offices and workshop units, and preference will be given to tenants who provide value-added services for boat owners on the marina’s 200 fully-serviced walk-ashore pontoon berths and 300 river moorings, as well as more than 10,000 visitors who stay there each year. For more details and rentals click here, email wendy.stowe@beaulieu.co.uk or call 01590 616200.

• Protect nesting birds and help keep our haven special

  Wildlife is a key reason that sailors love the Beaulieu River and why it’s important to all play our part in helping to protect it.

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  The Beaulieu River and surrounding area form part of a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) as well as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), providing habitats for more than 200 species of birdlife.

  Spring and summer are the most important times of the year to protect nesting birds, while they are breeding.

  Why we should all play our part:

  Gull Island has a year-round no-landing sanctuary status due to endangered species and birds of conservation concern breeding on the island. Warren Shore has the same status from March 1 – August 1.

  As part of North Solent National Nature Reserve, it is important that visiting sailors and resident berth and mooring holders do not land on Gull Island.

  Interfering with nesting birds is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act and regular checks are carried out to enforce the rules, with large fines for those who flout them.

  Dogs should also be kept on a lead during walks along the Beaulieu to Buckler’s Hard footpath which borders the reserve, and are not permitted on the reserve at any time.

  

  Enjoy from a distance

  Together with Natural England, the Beaulieu Estate takes a proactive role in protecting our natural haven’s unique habitats and promoting best practice standards.

  Those habitats are an important feeding ground and lifeline for birds, with up to 125,000 wildfowl and wading birds visiting the Solent each winter. The Solent is home to 10% of the world’s population of dark-bellied brent geese and the Beaulieu Estate’s coastline provides habitats for 50% of the Solent’s breeding pairs of ringed plover, as well as 40% of Hampshire’s breeding population of oystercatchers.

  

  As well as riverbank wildlife, the Beaulieu River is also home to a colony of Grey seals. So that we can all continue to enjoy our very special surroundings, please help us by following the rules. Please don’t disturb nesting birds and other wildlife – but feel free to enjoy them from a safe distance.

• Former superyacht captain and Clipper skipper joins the Beaulieu River team as new Moorings Manager

  Experienced sailor Rupert Parkhouse has joined the Beaulieu River team as the new Moorings Manager for Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour.

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  The former skipper of offshore windfarm support vessels, operating in the North Sea, brings more than 30 years of sailing knowledge to help serve berth and mooring holders.

  The Lymington father-of-two skippered an ocean racing yacht in the 2002 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race endurance challenge. He has also worked as the captain of superyachts during his career, which began as a 16-year-old dinghy instructor.

  Rupert, aged 56, said: “The Beaulieu River is a beautiful place to work. I have spent my entire career at sea and look forward to bringing that experience to deliver the best service for customers, who can find me in the Harbour Office for enquiries or a chat.”

  The new Moorings Manager holds a Master certificate from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and previously worked as a Yachtmaster Instructor and Examiner. He now enjoys taking to the water on his classic motorboat during his spare time.

  Harbour Master Wendy Stowe said: “With his extensive experience, Rupert is a great addition to our Beaulieu River team who can use his vast boating knowledge to help customers.”

  Rupert replaces recently retired Moorings Officer Jane Paull and joins the Beaulieu River team as work is being completed on the transformation of the boatshed. New waterfront offices, with panoramic views across the river, and workshops will open in time for the summer season – offering opportunities for marine-based businesses to relocate to one of the most desirable marinas on the south coast.

  A new marina shop and chandlery are part of the £2m redevelopment, which will offer an expanded range of quality food and drink, gifts and boating supplies.

  Notes of interest are being taken for the new offices and workshop units, and preference will be given to tenants who provide value-added services for boat owners on the marina’s 200 fully-serviced walk-ashore pontoon berths and 300 river moorings, as well as more than 10,000 visitors who stay there each year. For more details and rentals click here, email wendy.stowe@beaulieu.co.uk or call 01590 616200.

• Cheers as The Boatyard Bar and pop-up restaurant open this Easter!

  As Sue and Steve at The Boatyard Bar say, the difference between a good and a great summer season is dropping in at The Boatyard Bar for a drink and a chat.

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  Spring is here and the bar and alfresco dining are back, for the start of a fantastic season of sailing on the Beaulieu River. On Good Friday and Easter Saturday evening the bar will be open, while familiar faces Julie and Tracy serve at The Boatyard Bistro pop-up restaurant.

  
  They will be offering their homemade plates of delight through to the end of September. A different mouthwatering selection will be offered each weekend, from their original slow-cooked chilli and curries to flavour-packed pasta, pizza and ‘smashed’ burgers. Vegan options will always be available and new for this season will be accompanying side dishes, plus sweet treats. Come and see what’s on the menu!

  We also offer a warm welcome to Alex and Rhys, who will bring Loaf to join the new line-up with even more food offerings from June until August.

  Sue and Steve said:

  “We are so pleased every season to bring a warm greeting to new faces and welcome back many a returning regular. Last season, the weather threw a bit of everything at us but that didn’t stop the evenings being enjoyed by all. With a few regular music evenings which added to the fun, the party atmosphere was often reminiscent of an Après bar where new friendships are born and old acquaintances renewed. It was a season to remember in our new-look hut.”

  A mooring holder said:

  “We can’t wait for The Boatyard Bar to open at Easter and then we’ll feel the new season has finally started and can look forward to fun in the sun, with Sue and Steve’s excellent hospitality. Their extra effort in choosing interesting wines and serving great beers makes this a regular stop-off from our boat on the marina.”

  This season The Boatyard Bar will be offering a good selection of hand-picked new and old-world wines, local draught and bottled beers, gin and tonic and the ever-popular Dark ‘n’ Stormy – all served on the water’s edge at the marina.

  

  Good company, food and drink is just what we all need . . . so we look forward to seeing you there! Keep an eye on our social for new updates and all the latest news.

   

• Six steps to a successful start to your season

  Make the most of later sunsets and longer evenings on the water, as the clocks change.

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  For a hassle-free start to your 2025 season, follow our Harbour Master’s top tips before you set sail:

  

  

  Enjoy a great season of sailing with us on the Beaulieu River!

• BOATSHED REDEVELOPMENT BLOG: Work starts inside new boatshed as outside construction is completed for office and workshop rentals in 2025

  As construction is completed on the external boatshed building, work has moved inside to create new waterfront offices and workshops for the 2025 sailing season.

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  Windows and doors have all been cut out and are now being fitted and sealed. External ramps and guttering are also being added this month.

  Meanwhile inside, concrete floors are being completed ready for work to begin on fitting out the five offices and two meeting rooms with panoramic views across the Beaulieu River.

  

  A unit, which could be used as a workshop, will be tall enough to accommodate the full height of a boat. Two further bays, also fully insulated with roller shutter doors, will be used for boatyard services at Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour. An approved list of suppliers can be instructed to work in the boatyard, or the open yard policy enables berth and mooring holders to bring in their own contractors for a small charge.

  At the back of the boatshed, a double stack of lockers has been extended for customers to store their equipment. A smooth path is also being laid to give easy access for trolleys and maintenance machinery.

  

  A new marina shop and chandlery is also being created to offer an expanded range of quality food and drink, gifts and boating supplies.

  See the update tour here: https://youtu.be/9kbZ-qcedZk

  The £2m redevelopment of the boatshed is offering opportunities for marine-based businesses to relocate to one of the most desirable marinas on the south coast. Take a sneak preview peek at the new offices and facilities here: https://youtu.be/iM1yIY32Je8.

  Notes of interest are being taken for the new offices and workshop units, and preference will be given to tenants who provide value-added services for boat owners on the marina’s 200 fully-serviced walk-ashore pontoon berths and 300 river moorings, as well as more than 10,000 visitors who stay there each year.

  

  Letting terms are available on application and include parking, a communal kitchen, electricity and Wi-fi (subject to service charge). Office lets can also include the use of meeting rooms and a secure leased line share to offer guaranteed bandwidth.
  Get in touch

  For more details about new boatshed rentals, click here, email wendy.stowe@beaulieu.co.uk or call 01590 616200.

• Photographic competition winner captures photo of cheeky Beaulieu River resident

  Lord Montagu has selected Oliver Crockett’s shot of a cheeky Beaulieu River resident as the winner of the 2024 photography competition.

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  Oliver’s photo was chosen by Lord Montagu to take the top spot and claim a £200 prize. His winning photo will also feature in the 2025 Beaulieu River Tide Times & Information booklet.

  

  Oliver also entered additional entries in the latest competition, one which was placed as one of the runner-up entries alongside Jane Willoughby’s atmospheric sky, and Robert Abbott’s swan family in the mist.

   

  

  The annual competition is open to all amateur photographers who are inspired to capture the unique quality of one of the few privately owned tidal rivers in Britain. It is open to locals as well as visitors to the picturesque harbourside village of Buckler’s Hard.

  

  The 2025 Beaulieu River photo competition is now open and entries can be sent, with full contact details, to photo@beaulieu.co.uk.  This year, we are theming the competition and asking entrants to choose from:

  . Wildlife on the river

  . The ever-changing beauty of the Beaulieu River

  . Buckler’s Hard Village

  For winning examples, details and T&Cs click here. The winner of the 2025 competition will be announced in January 2026.

• BOATSHED REDEVELOPMENT BLOG: New-look boatshed takes shape ready for waterfront offices, meeting rooms and workshop rentals in spring 2025

  As we look forward to the 2025 sailing season, the new-look boatshed at Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour is taking shape.

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  Steel framework adaptations and the roof have been completed, ready for final external building work in the new year. See recent progress in the video here.

  Then work will move inside, creating new waterfront offices and meeting rooms with panoramic views across the Beaulieu River, workshop units and new boat refit facilities to rent from late spring 2025.

  The £2m redevelopment of the boatshed is offering opportunities for marine-based businesses to relocate to one of the most desirable marinas on the south coast. Take a sneak peek at a preview of the new offices and facilities: https://youtu.be/iM1yIY32Je8.

  Harbour Master Wendy Stowe said: ”We are excited to see the boatshed building taking shape and starting to see how the impressive riverside offices, meeting rooms and workshops will look”

  Notes of interest are now being taken for the new offices and workshop units, and preference will be given to tenants who provide value-added services for boat owners on the marina’s 200 fully-serviced walk-ashore pontoon berths and 300 river moorings, as well as more than 10,000 visitors who stay there each year.

  Letting terms are available on application and include parking, a communal kitchen, electricity and Wi-fi (subject to service charge). Office lets can also include the use of meeting rooms and a secure leased line share to offer guaranteed bandwidth.

  

  Meanwhile, the yacht harbour team has moved to a temporary Reception in the boatyard, while a more limited Chandlery has opened for the duration of the seven-month project.

  About the Beaulieu River

  Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour was recently ranked as one of the UK’s best marinas by being placed in the top 5% of 5 Gold Anchors winners by The Yacht Harbour Association. It was also voted the best place for sailors to call home when it won the prestigious Marina of the Year title in British Yachting’s awards in 2022, and came runner-up in TYHA’s Coastal Marina of the Year (over 250 berths) in 2024.

  At the gateway to the New Forest National Park, the Beaulieu River provides habitats for more than 200 species of birdlife. The custodianship of the Montagu family for over four centuries has kept it special, yet it is only a short sail from the yachting hub of Cowes.

  A packed events calendar offers regular opportunities to bring together new and old friends in the Beaulieu River community, while a restaurant, pub and tea shop are on the doorstep at the 18th century shipbuilding village of Buckler’s Hard with its maritime museum.

  Get in touch

  For more details about new boatshed rentals, click here, email wendy.stowe@beaulieu.co.uk or call 01590 616200.

• First apprentice at Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour wins top award

  The first apprentice at Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour has won the ViewHR Award for Apprentice of the Year in the 2024 New Forest Brilliance in Business Awards.

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  Oli Rickard, aged 24, has become a popular face with Beaulieu River berth and mooring holders after helping as a river hand, then working towards his Level 2 Marina & Boatyard Operative qualification.

  The awards welcomed 200 local businesses and New Forest Business Partnership said: “Oli’s dedication shone through in the glowing feedback from customers and colleagues, marking him as a true rising talent in our maritime community.”

  

  Harbour Master Wendy Stowe said: “We are so proud of Oli and that his achievements have been recognised by winning this top award.”

  She added: “We look forward to sharing Oli’s outstanding skills and customer service with our Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour customers on the Beaulieu River.”

  Oli has been learning to deliver a wide range of services, from lifting, launching and pressure-washing vessels to moving boats on the water. He has also studied safety rules and regulations, undertaken marina maintenance tasks and developed skills to assist boat owners and visitors.

  He moved from his home in Plymouth to start his apprenticeship and now lives on the Beaulieu Estate. His Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour apprenticeship will be completed by the end of the year.

  Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour was recently ranked as one of the UK’s best marinas by being placed in the top 5% of 5 Gold Anchors winners by The Yacht Harbour Association. It was also voted the best place for sailors to call home when it won the prestigious Marina of the Year title in British Yachting’s awards in 2022.

  

  Work is now underway on a £2m redevelopment of the boatshed offering opportunities for marine-based businesses to relocate to the desirable marina. Office space and meeting rooms with panoramic views across the Beaulieu River are being created, along with workshop units and new boat refit facilities. All will be available to rent from spring 2025.

  Notes of interest are now being taken and preference will be given to tenants who provide value-added services for owners of boats on the marina’s 200 fully-serviced walk-ashore pontoon berths and 300 river moorings. For more details click here or contact the Harbour Master at wendy.stowe@beaulieu.co.uk.